General Chat

Hi there, I'm new to this and searching for my family tree. I do not know my father. He was born out of wedlock in 1936 (I assume out of wedlock as no father on birth certificate and mother's 'maiden' name was taken) and his mother appeared to have married a few years later - but the same marriage record has her with 2 different surnames (Braiden and Burt), why would that be so?

that usually happens because she has had a previous marriage


One name would be her maiden name, the second would be her married name


so you need to look in www.freebmd.org.uk for a marriage between a Braiden and a Burt



that site is much easier to use than GR ......... and it's free!


Just put one of the names in the first Surname box, and the other in the second surname box.

Click Marriages


and set year parameters ending the same year as the second marriage.


you might be lucky and find a marriage




sylvia

Thanks for that. Were the records always perfect? My grandmother was born Lilian Frances Varney Braiden but she seems to have dropped the 3rd Christian name when she gave birth to my father - as his birth certificate only refers to her as Lilian Frances Braiden. I can't find any other records in the era for Lilian Frances Braiden. Am I clutching at straws or is she "L F V Braiden" likely to be my grandmother? How do you make sure?? L F V Braiden's mother gave birth to Lilian outside marriage as well - it seems to be right. On the census records for 2011 Lilian's mother does not have a middle name indicated (see was a maid in the house she was living in) .... are records complete or do they often drop middle or 3rd names?

Theres only 3 Lillians coming up so this might be her

Births Mar 1918 (99%)
Braiden Lilian F V Braiden Steyning 2b 377

As it is showing that her Mum's maiden name was Braiden then maybe Varney was the fathers surname

No such record with a variety of searches. freebmd.org.uk suggests 2 names on a marriage cert for a bride could be because a child born outside wedlock uses the mother's later married name. But Lilian's mother died when she was one (I think?) - there is certainly no evidence of a marriage between any Braiden and Burt! Foster parents surname?

Thank you so much Julie. There were certainly families of Varneys living in the area - at least at the 2011 census ... I'm sure the Varney's were still around in about 1917 when she became pregnant! I think you have hit the nail on the head concerning that 3rd Christian name. Didn't people have to use their full name when they got married or for census records. Or was it accepted practice to drop names on official documentation such as these?

Not they didn't Simon

My Gt G/dad on his marriage & on the census was down as William....it was only when i finally found a birth who i thought had to be him did i know that his name was Samuel & William was his middle name

My Dads Mum gave her maiden name as a middle name to my Uncle as she was 1 of 3 girls and the name had died out through our family

Do you know what happened to one-year-old kids (generally speaking) in 1919 when their unwed mother died? Lilian F Braiden used Braiden when she gave birth as an unwed mum at aged 18 - so she could not have been adopted (she would have taken the adoptive surname if adopted - most likely). Did they foster in those days? Or were they all in an orphanage? When she gave birth in 1936 she was living and working at some kennels (according to my father's birth-certificate) - so obviously did not have strong family connections!

They could have ended up anywhere......

Children's Home
Mother's parents
Aunt/Uncle or extended family
Neighbour/friend of the mothers
Or may be fostered out by the authorities. (although not so sure about that)

Legal adoption did not come in until 1927, so all adoptions before then were usually undocumented.

If the child was put into an orphanage or children's home, they could have stayed there until the age of about 14 when they would have left and gone out to work. They would have been schooled, and trained for domestic work or a trade.

The child could have been given to a foster family.

They could have been taken from the home by someone who wanted a child fo the ir own ... unofficial adoption


A relative, friend of the family, neighbour may have taken the child.


Some orphanages and children's homes kept records, others did not.


The child might even have been sent as a Home Child to Canada or Australia.




sylvia